Cory MacDonald Signs With Bellator

Cory MacDonald (12-2), a former top 10 Canadian Welterweight, has signed with Bellator, according to Cage Potato. Despite fighting primarily at 170 lbs, the reports states that the Ontario native will move up to Middleweight for Bellator and should fight in the 2012 Bellator Middleweight tournament.

MacDonald has fought infrequently over the past years and has not fought more than once in a year since 2008. When he has fought recently, MacDonald has been the heavy favorite. He defeated the 3-7 Chris Vorano at UGC in March this year and the 6-20 Chester Post in his sole 2010 matchup.

It’ll be just shy of 3 years since he’s had a win of any relevance, and in that time he’s fought only 2 guys infinitely below his skill and experience level and he’s booked and cancelled 5 shows that I know of in that time.

By all accounts he was extremely skilled and competing at a high level 3 years ago and a very very legitimate athlete at 170, but the game has changed dramatically in that time.

Add to that rumours of extended periods without training, a move up in weight (very rare in todays game), evidence of a shaken confidence in the booking-then cancelling-then booking-then cancelling streak he had last year (that included asking for Joe Doerksen then cancelling due to “having nowhere to train”), and you got yourself a downright fascinating story here.

Fascinating because, with the skills he’s shown mixed with the dicey last couple years this guy has had, who knows how this will do now?
Makes for a very interesting story no matter how it unfolds. Huge ‘new’ force at 185 or a tale of wasted talent and mismanagement in a changing sport?

He’s got a good opportunity to return to some kind of relevance in 2012 and you hope he does well.

All the best to him, let’s hope we see a new sheriff at 185 and his return is a happy story and a success.

I would like to thank everyone that has helped me get to this point. I would like to take a minute as well to clear some things up. A lot of my inactivity was due to signing a year and a half contract with the MFC. I fought for them once and then they just kept pushing my next fight back for the next year. I took a couple of warm up fights to get back in the game. The fight with Joe Doerkson I did ask for but was told that Joe was taking a break so I stopped getting ready for that fight date. Then they contact my manager less than 4 weeks out to see if I am available. I have learned from this and am now trying to stay in shape all year. As far as moving up weight I walk around at 210 and realize that trying to cut that weight that many times in a row for bellator would leave me drained. So I decided with my manager to do it at 185 which I have fought at before. Again thanks to everyone who has put in the time with me in the last 10 years I will try not to let you down

I think Cory could win the whole thing . He was beating goulet before his eye became a problem and has fought tough guys and is very well rounded .I only met him once and he’s a very nice guy . Ill be cheering him on !